As a Muslim, you have been given such beautiful gifts. The gift of guidance being the most precious of all. And with this, comes recommended habits, advice and direction on how to live your life. All to achieve one goal – a place in Jannah, insha’Allah.
Your daily du’as are among those habits that will help you on this journey. So what are the daily du’as and unmissable supplications?
Your Daily Du’as
Du’a is a tool not many of us understand the significance of. It’s a beautiful way of asking our Lord to aid us with whatever we need. When we feel lost, uncertain or want to connect, all we need to do is speak to Allah (S.W).
The Prophet (S.A.W) led by example and taught us through his own actions. In every aspect of life he embodied what it meant to be a true believer. In the context of du’a, many of the supplications we know today are due to him. He taught us to incorporate du’a in every aspect of our lives; whether we’re just about to eat, make an important decision or whether we’re praying one of our salahs.
But what are the daily du’as and unmissable supplications we need to make sure we’re staying on top of? And why are they so important?
Start Your Day Right
The morning athkar are a group of du’as every Muslim should incorporate in their daily lives. These du’as are beautiful opportunities to gain so much reward, ask Allah for His protection as well as insha’Allah, gaining His pleasure. But what are they, and when should we say them?
The morning athkar consists of a mix of certain surahs and certain du’as, all aimed at helping the believer remember Allah (S.W) in the early hours of the morning. It is encouraged to say these daily du’as before the sun rises, so before or after you pray the Fajr salah. Take some time once you have prayed to remain in one place and to fully connect with what you are saying. For example, when reciting the du’a:
يَا حَيُّ يَا قَيُّوْمُ ، بِرَحْمَتِكَ أَسْتَغِيْثُ ، أَصْلِحْ لِيْ شَأْنِيْ كُلَّهُ ، وَلَا تَكِلْنِيْ إِلَىٰ نَفْسِيْ طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ
Yā Ḥayyu yā Qayyūm, bi-raḥmatika astaghīth, aṣliḥ lī sha’nī kullah, wa lā takilnī ilā nafsī ṭarfata ʿayn.
O The Ever Living, The Sustainer of all. ; I seek assistance through Your mercy. Rectify all of my affairs and do not entrust me to myself for the blink of an eye.
Try to take your time as you recite each word to fully ponder on what they mean; you’re asking Allah by some of His beautiful names to rectify all of your affairs and to not leave you alone – even for the blink of an eye! Such a beautiful du’a deserves such beautiful attention, don’t you think?
The morning atkhar can be found compiled in different places and on different platforms – Alhamdullilah they’re very easy to access! You can find them compiled here. Think of these daily du’as and unmissable supplications as your armour for the day – an important source of protection and a bank of blessings for you. Are you seeing why they’re unmissable?!
As Evening Approaches
Similarly, as evening approaches it’s a good idea to get into the habit of setting time aside to read the evening athkar. The best time to do this would be after you have prayed your Asr salah – the aim is to have recited them before Maghreb approaches. Like the morning athkar, the evening athkar serves as a way of connecting with Allah (S.W) as the day ends.
In these daily du’as, we are praising Allah and asking Him to protect as night approaches. The selected du’as all include these attributes, and they’re very important. How can we enter another night without asking Allah (S.W) to make it beneficial to us?
اللّهُـمَّ بِكَ أَمْسَـينا، وَبِكَ أَصْـبَحْنا، وَبِكَ نَحْـيا، وَبِكَ نَمـوتُ وَإِلَـيْكَ المَصـير
Allahuma bika asaynaa wa bika asbahnaa wa bika namoot wa ilayka al maseer
O Allah, by You we enter the morning and by You we enter the evening, by You we live and by You we die, and to You is the Final Return
These daily du’as are also a way of us reminding ourselves that we need Allah (S.W) to get through each day. It’s so easy for us to forget this and to go back to relying on ourselves. Not only is that stressful and unrealistic – it’s also not our job. Allah (S.W) created us to rely on Him, and these unmissable supplications are a regular and beautiful way of reminding us of this!
Du’a Acceptance Times
There are certain times in which making du’a is very powerful. And these times don’t necessarily come about every day. So when they are here, it’s essential we don’t take them for granted and that we pour our hearts out to Allah (S.W).
These times can be found in the last third of the night for example, when we’re told:
Narrated Abu Huraira:
Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Our Lord, the Blessed, the Superior, comes every night down on the nearest Heaven to us when the last third of the night remains, saying: “Is there anyone to invoke Me, so that I may respond to invocation? Is there anyone to ask Me, so that I may grant him his request? Is there anyone seeking My forgiveness, so that I may forgive him?” Sahih al-Bukhari 1145
Our Lord comes down to the nearest heaven to ask us what it is we need – subhaanAllah! How can we surpass such an incredible opportunity? How can we be of those who make the most of this beautiful time? Well – it’s all about instilling the habit! Before you go to sleep, set an alarm to go off an hour to 30 minutes before Fajr. Try to wake up (even if it’s 15 minutes before the prayer!) make wudu, and offer two units of prayer. You can pray as many two units as you like!
He Hears You
Another special time to make du’a is the hour after Asr on a Friday known as Sa’atul Istijaabah which translates to ‘the time for acceptance’. Try to set time aside during this time, make a list of all the du’as you wish to make and speak to Allah (S.W). It’s a way of gaining lofty rewards and making time to focus on the most important relationship of all – the one with you and your Creator. Remind yourself that there is nothing more important than connecting with Allah (S.W) and that this time is the perfect time to do so.
It was narrated by Jabir bin ‘Abdullah:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Friday is twelve hours in which there is no Muslim slave who asks Allah (SWT) for something but He will give it to him, so seek it in the last hour after ‘Asr.” Sunan an-Nasa’i 1389
Alhamdullilah for these amazing opportunities Allah (S.W)has given us. The countless blessings and these special times we can dedicate to asking our Lord for what our hearts desire. He hears our every prayer – even if we whisper them. Never forget that nothing is impossible for the Lord of the heavens and the earth! This is such a special habit to incorporate into your daily du’as and unmissable supplications routine.
Why not start today? You’ve got this Ukhti!
